‘The Woman in Black’ UK Trailer Is Still Pretty Freaky

While the most recently-released U.S. trailer for James Watkins’ The Woman in Black – starring Harry Potter himself, Daniel Radcliffe – may have used every haunted house/ghost story trick in the book, virtually everyone who watched it was left with shivers running down their spine.

A UK theatrical preview has been unveiled for The Woman in Black… and while it is louder and flashier than the preview trailers, it nonetheless still succeeds in making the film look like a potentially terrifying supernatural horror tale.

This new trailer also offers an early look at some of Radcliffe’s Woman in Black costars, including Ciarán Hinds (The Debt) and Shaun Dooley (the Red Riding trilogy). Also along for the ride are fellow respected English thespians like Roger Allam (V for Vendetta, Game of Thrones) and Oscar-nominee Janet McTeer (the upcoming Albert Nobbs).

Check out the UK trailer for The Woman in Black below:

Watkins’ film was scripted by X-Men: First Class and Kick-Ass scriber Jane Goldman, based on Susan Hill’s novel. Here is an official synopsis for the project:

“The Woman in Black” follows a young lawyer, Arthur Kipps (Radcliffe), who is ordered to travel to a remote village and sort out a recently deceased client’s papers. As he works alone in the client’s isolated house, Kipps begins to uncover tragic secrets, his unease growing when he glimpses a mysterious woman dressed only in black. Receiving only silence from the locals, Kipps is forced to uncover the true identity of the Woman in Black on his own, leading to a desperate race against time when he discovers her true intent.

Woman in Black so far looks to utilize many a familiar “haunted house” horror genre trope – be it the appearance of ghostly children, creaky and decaying architecture, or suspicious people hiding potentially life-ruining secrets – and put them to very good use. In an age where gory violence is often confused with being scary (as opposed to just gross), it’s refreshing to see that Watkins is at least attempting to rely on effective old-fashioned tactics… be it his use of unsettlingly murky visuals, troubling atmosphere, or legitimately effective jumps scares to terrify viewers.

Daniel Radcliffe in 'The Woman in Black'

There’s no guarantee that The Woman in Black won’t ultimately be kind of a cheesy haunted tale. However, Goldman has already demonstrated that she is an excellent storyteller – and Watkins appears to have brought her script to life with some cool and creepy visual flair. So fingers crossed, this will be a welcome additional to the long list of tales about embittered spirits and haunted real estate.